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Friday, November 9, 2012

'Lost and Found' Book Tour - Review

Lost and Found
An autism cure will kill millions unless a service dog and his trainer find a missing child . . . in 24 hours.

AN AUNT searches for her lost nephew—and dooms her sister.

A MOM gambles a miracle will cure—and not kill—her child.

A DOG finds his true purpose—when he disobeys.

Animal behaviorist September Day has lost
everything—husband murdered, career in ruins, confidence shot—and flees
to Texas with her cat Macy to recover. She’s forced out of hibernation
when her nephew Steven and his autism service dog Shadow disappear in a
freak blizzard. When her sister trusts a maverick researcher’s promise
to help Steven, September has 24 hours to rescue them from a devastating
medical experiment impacting millions of children, a deadly secret
others will kill to protect. As September races the clock, the body
count swells. Shadow does his good-dog duty but can’t protect his boy.
Finally September and Shadow forge a stormy partnership to rescue the
missing and stop the nightmare cure. But can they also find the lost
parts of themselves?

Advance Praise:

"Amy Shojai’s LOST AND FOUND wraps family secrets,
murder, and medical miracles around the small form of an autistic child.
Riveting, heart-wrenching, and brilliant, here is the debut of a
stunning talent."
--James Rollins, New York Times bestseller of Bloodline

***
"Take a clever dog, an autistic boy, and
toss in greed, corruption, and out-of control scientific experimentation
and you have the makings of LOST AND FOUND, a fun story filled with
twists, turns, and a large dose of intrigue."
--D. P. Lyle, Award-winning author of the Dub Walker Thriller Series

"Pet
behavior expert Amy Shojai’s debut thriller LOST AND FOUND combines the
medical tension of Robin Cook thrillers with the emotional heart of THE
ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN."
--Dr. Marty Becker, Best-selling author and resident veterinarian on Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show

**My thoughts**

I was drawn to this story because of autism being a main part of the storyline. I have a special place in my heart for autistic children and knew that I would be touched in a different way from this story. So many descriptions of the children's behavior were familiar to me, having witnessed similar behaviors in friends' children, and some of the children with whom I work. I can also appreciate the desperation that these parents feel, to try anything that may help their children to finally come out of those shells and to communicate. While I have never witnessed one of these supposed "miracle cures" first hand, I know that some exist, which can be a scary thought. The idea of kidnapping and murder based on one of these cures seems extreme, but stranger things have happened! Put something like this in the hands of an unstable person, and you never know what is going to happen. It makes you wonder how desperate you would be if you were in their shoes.

I loved that part of the story was told from Shadow's point-of-view. Dogs have a unique perspective on the world. Amy Shojai's voice as Shadow rings true to everything I imagine my own dog saying or thinking in his own mind. Shadow is a very important character in the novel, which is solidified by his contributions. I have an even stronger appreciation for companion dogs.

Parts of the story seem somewhat predictable as you fly through the pages, but you will have difficulty putting this one down. Even when you think you know what is going to happen, you may be a little surprised.

About the Author

Amy
Shojai is a certified animal behavior consultant, and the award
winning author of 24 bestselling pet books that cover furry babies to
old fogies, first aid to natural healing, and behavior/training to
Chicken Soupicity. She is the Puppies Guide at puppies.About.com, the cat behavior expert at cats.About.com,
and hosts a weekly half hour Internet Pet Peeves radio show. Amy has
been featured as an expert in hundreds of print venues including The New
York Times, Reader’s Digest, and Family Circle, as well as national
radio and television networks such as CNN, Animal Planet’s DOGS 101 and
CATS 101. Amy brings her unique pet-centric viewpoint to public
appearances and THRILLERS WITH BITE!

The author is giving The winner their choice of EITHER a dog-centric or kitty-styled basket.

"Find Your Lost Cat Luv" Basket

The "cat package basket" would include "paw-tographed" to the recipient, books LOST
AND FOUND (my debut thriller) as well as the nonfiction books COMPLETE KITTEN CARE
and COMPLETE CARE FOR YOUR AGING CAT and a "surprise" cat book from another
colleague. It would also include an assortment of cat toys/treats/products. Books
would be inscribed to them, their pet, or a pet lover friend they designate.

"Find Your Lost Dog Luv" Basket

The "dog package basket" would include "paw-topharphed" to the recipient books LOST
AND FOUND (my debut
thriller) as well as the nonfiction books PET CARE IN THE NEW CENTURY and COMPLETE
CARE FOR YOUR AGING DOG and a "surprise" dog book from another
colleague. It would also include an assortment of dog toys/treats/products. Books
would be inscribed to them, their pet, or a pet lover friend they designate.

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DISCLAIMER

Many of the books that I review on this blog are given to me in exchange for my honest review. Others, I pick up on my own and share my opinions on them. If it was a free book, I will state this in the post.

All books that I review as a part of a tour are given to me in exchange for my review and compensation, even if not noted in each post.

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